Best wireless speakers for dads 2018

With loads of wireless speakers to choose from, here are our top gift picks for Father's Day.

First up, JBL's Link 300 is one of the best sounding voice-enabled Wi-Fi speakers for the money -- and can be controlled with your voice using Google Assistant.

Bose's latest SoundLink Bluetooth speakers, the Revolve and Revolve Plus, have a new cylindrical design and 360-degree sound output. 

Bose's larger Revolve Plus will give Dad sound that's a little bigger with more bass -- and it has an integrated handle. It's pricey but a great compact speaker.

The Sonos One is the first Sonos speaker to have Amazon's Alexa voice assistant built into it, which makes it act just like Amazon Echo speaker -- only it sounds better. This is a Wi-Fi speaker, and sometime in 2018 it will also add Google Assistant and Apple AirPlay 2 support through a software upgrade.

As with earlier Sonos speakers, Dad can add other Sonos speakers to create a multiroom audio system -- or a stereo pair.

Amazon's Echo Show offers improved sound over the original Echo and has a built-in screen that will let Dad watch video and make video calls to his doting family. 

While Bose's SoundLink Micro is a tad pricey, you'll be hard pressed to find a speaker this small that provides as much bass and volume as it does.

Apple's HomePod is a little overpriced too, but it's arguably the best sounding smart speaker for its size and will improve with time as more features are added.

Like the Link 300, JBL's portable Link 20 may not have Alexa, but Dad can control it with his voice using Google Assistant.

JBL's Flip 4 is fully waterproof and a little bigger than than the JBL 3. That extra size -- and a new set of drivers inside -- makes a significant difference in sound quality. The speaker also has better battery life than its predecessor.

UE's Alexa-enabled smart speaker doesn't have as much bass as its bigger sibling, the Megablast, but it's more compact and costs less.

This Ultimate Ears waterproof Bluetooth speaker is shorter and squatter than its popular UE Boom 2 speaker. Given its price, the UE Wonderboom is near the top of the class for sound quality.

UE's fully waterproof Megablast is arguably the best-sounding portable Alexa-enabled smart speaker. Perfect for parties by the pool.

If you think Dad will appreciate a tiny speaker that can output a reasonable amount of sound, Sony's SRS-XB10 fits the bill nicely.

The UE Boom 2 is a compact, durable wireless Bluetooth speaker that plays louder than the original Boom and sounds a little better. It's stain-resistant, shock-resistant and now fully waterproof. Battery life is a strong 15 hours, and it can be paired with a second UE speaker for stereo sound.

If Dad's priority is sound quality, you're better off with the more expensive Revolve. But if he values portability and you don't want to spend the extra money, the SoundLink Color II, which features improved sound over the original, is a solid choice. 

While not everybody will love its design, most dads should be impressed with the sound it puts out, particularly in smaller rooms.

Bose's SoundTouch 10 is the smallest and least expensive Wi-Fi speaker in the company's line of DIY wireless multiroom audio systems, all of which added Bluetooth to their features list in late 2015.

The Bose SoundTouch 10 is a compact Wi-Fi speaker that plays much bigger than its size would indicate, and it offers convenient features such as Bluetooth and shortcut buttons.

If you're looking for an inexpensive Bluetooth speaker, the Tribit XSound Go is a fantastic value.

The new, slightly shorter, second-generation model is way less expensive than the $180 original. And a three-pack of the new version comes with a $50 discount.

The updated Echo features improved audio quality with a dedicated woofer and tweeter and Dolby sound. It comes in a variety of interchangeable fabrics and finishes such as cloth, wood and more.

All credit to B&O Play for creating a Bluetooth speaker that doesn't look like anything out there already. The new dome-shaped Beoplay A1 is not only the smallest wireless speaker from the Danish company, but also its most affordable.

With a sleek look courtesy of well-known Danish furniture designer Cecilie Manz, the aluminum-clad A1 delivers relatively high-quality sound for its compact size, has excellent battery life and works well as a speakerphone.

The second-generation Sonos Play:5 is a sleek, well-designed Wi-Fi speaker that delivers rich sound for its size, as well as strong bass. It offers the full Sonos wireless experience, controllable from iPhone, iPad and Android apps. 

The speaker is compatible with nearly every key music service, including Pandora, Spotify, Tidal, Amazon and Apple Music. It comes in two colors -- white and black -- and can be placed either horizontally or vertically.

The Google Home Max is currently the largest Google Home speaker -- and the best sounding, too.

With the third generation of its Pulse speaker, JBL has once again improved the integrated LED light show, making this flashy Bluetooth speaker a standout product in a crowded market. The Pulse 3 delivers strong sound for its size and Dad can program its light show via a free app for iOS and Android. 

The Echo Plus looks and acts like the original Echo -- but it's had a major smart-home brain implant and a boost in sound quality. In addition to the Alexa functionality you get in every Echo device, the Echo Plus features an integrated smart-home hub that serves as the conduit between the cloud and all of your smart locks and lights; it comes bundled with a free Philips smart lightbulb.

Before, you needed a separate hub from SmartThings, Wink, or another third party to control the smart-home devices made by companies such as Philips Hue, GE and Kwikset. Now, the Echo Plus, with its built-in ZigBee antenna, will sense, set up and connect these devices automatically.

JBL's Clip speakers have long been among our favorite micro Bluetooth speakers, and the Clip 2, which comes in five color options, is also a winner.

It's about the size of a hockey puck, with a built-in rechargeable battery, which should give Dad about 8 hours of tunes. It offers decent sound for its size and it's fully waterproof.

It also has an integrated line-in cable that stows away in the bottom of the device, as well as speakerphone capabilities.

The new Clip 3 is due to ship in 2018, so hopefully the Clip 2 will dip in price a little.

If you're looking for the Google version of Amazon's Echo Dot, the Google Home Mini is just that. Like the Dot, it may not sound great, but it's got lots of smarts and Google Assistant. 

The Echo Spot is Amazon's mashup of the deluxe Show and the entry-level Dot. It combines the Dot's hockey-puck aesthetic and low-power output to the Show's video capabilities, while meeting at about the halfway point on price. Its front-facing camera can be used to make video calls, which can be initiated through the touchscreen or Alexa, and capture intermittent photos or a live feed of video.

When Dad's away from home, he can untether his speaker system with the UE Megaboom Bluetooth speaker. It's a tiny waterproof unit that gets IPX7 certification for extra toughness from the elements.

The original Google Home smart speaker was Google's answer to the Amazon Echo, with its own voice-activated Google Assistant. Like the Echo, it's improved over time.

The waterproof UE Roll 2 plays 15 percent louder than the original Roll, has a longer wireless range of up to 30 meters (about 100 feet), and it ships with a UE Floatie, so you can take it into the pool with you right out of the box. Certain colors of this speaker often go on sale, particularly now that the newer UE Wonderboom has been released.

Bang & Olufsen's Beoplay P2 may not be cheap but it is the least expensive model in the company's Bluetooth speaker lineup -- it's also the smallest and lightest. Aside from its swanky design (it really is a great-looking micro speaker) it delivers a good amount of bass and volume for its compact size.

V-Moda's Remix is a compact, premium Bluetooth speaker that also has a built-in headphone amp. Billed as "the world's first 3D-printed custom speaker," all six sides of the Remix can be personalized with optional accessories.

The Oontz Angle 3 Plus is pretty no-frills, but it is one of the best sounding inexpensive Bluetooth speakers out there.

Available in two colors, carbon and pearl, the Bose SoundLink Mini II offers some nice upgrades over the original SoundLink Mini. The price on this speaker has come down a little as Bose has released the all-new SoundLink Revolve and Revolve Plus.

The Amazon Echo Dot won a CNET Editors' Choice Award. How could it not? It's just as smart as the Echo, but it costs half as much. And, unlike the Echo, you can use it with whatever speakers you want. That's terrific news both for audiophiles and for people who just want an inexpensive way to give Dad the gift of Alexa.

Now in battery-powered form within the portable Amazon Tap, Amazon's digital assistant Alexa is as good as ever. Dad can play music, command his smart home or add something to his to-do list -- all with his voice.

We like the sound of the step up SoundCore Boost better, but the SoundCore 2 costs about half the price and delivers decent Bluetooth sound and battery life for its modest price. 

The JBL Charge 3 is a well-designed, fully waterproof portable Bluetooth speaker. It has good battery life and doubles as an external charger for your portable devices. It also has built-in speakerphone capabilities, and plays loudly with strong bass for its size and price class.

Bose's SoundTouch 30 is a direct competitor to the Sonos Play:5 and features both Wi-Fi and Bluetooth streaming. It can be linked with Bose's other SoundTouch speakers to create a multiroom system.

If you want to give your dad a little something extra special as far as a Bluetooth speaker goes, there's B&O Play's Beolit 17, which offers bigger sound than a lot of these smaller Bluetooth speakers in the gift guide. The only downside is its price.